Doesn't Recommend

justuspd

Joined 2 years ago

Racist manager. Two white employees promoted before black employee who's been there longer and worked more hours! Manager also makes rude comments to black customers.

Doesn't Recommend

BCMacKintosh

Joined 2 years ago

Poor Service And Rude Barista. Although the coffee at the Cup A Joe is bearable, the same could not be said of the servers!

I do not remember the name of the barista who upset me, but she had bright red hair. I came in and ordered a cappuccino. She rang me up, said it would be a few minutes, and that she would call my name. TWENTY MINUTES LATER I approached the counter again to see her giggling with a co-worker near the back about her old job at another restaurant. My drink was nowhere in sight.

I asked her where it was, and she rolled her eyes and began making my drink. I am unimpressed with this coffee house and cannot say I will be returning while this insolent girl is still employed there.

Doesn't Recommend

Redroof456

Joined 3 years ago

RACIST WORKERS. Beyond the fact that the quality of the place is absolutely disgusting and you may as well have a cup of coffee in a dumpster because that's how this place looks, Everything is out of date and DIRTY especially the bath room. Besides that the staff is racist, I will never visit this place again unless it is to record and document the racist workers I encountered.

Doesn't Recommend

goldenblade

Joined 5 years ago

Smoky beat-up place with good food. If you can stand inhaling tons of cigarette smoke, this place is nice for coffee drinks, free wireless, and delicious foods. The big room is meant for smoking but it wafts over to the entire cafe. I feel sorry for the employees who may have higher incidence of lung cancer from working there. Kind of grimy but it has that college atmosphere.

Doesn't Recommend

mkathrynp

Joined 5 years ago

Freaky hipster haven. Combine two of the nastiest habits--smoking and drinking coffee--with a bunch of tattooed, hipper than thou emo types and you've got Cup a Joe pretty much covered. Everyone in there is so pretentious.

Recommends

duchessbee

Joined 4 years ago

Good coffee/staff, could use some updates. I visit Cup a Joe nearly every morning, and I usually stay for a bit even though I get my coffee and breakfast quickly. The staff is usually in great spirits for being up so early (I don't know how they do it) and put me in a good mood. The coffee is priced reasonably, but the baked goods are a little expensive for what they are. (2.50 for a small croissant, might as well get the chocolate one for the same price!) They usually have interesting art on the walls, and an open-mic on Friday nights.

After a while the staff gets to know everyone's regular drinks, but they have a pretty high turn-over rate (there is ALWAYS a "now hiring" sign in the window) so we have to "train" the new people to remember our drinks :) I wonder why people quit so often??

Some improvements I'd like to see:

-Fans in the smoking room or an air-cleaning machine. (My clothes stink when I leave, even sitting on the non-smoking side.)

-New tables and chairs: There are springs coming out of some of the chairs, the tables look like they were pulled out of the dumpster, etc. I'm not saying all new and modern, just re-covered, or polished, or something! Maybe some comfy leather or vinyl armchairs.

-Something other than just cream cheese for bagels--it's CC or nothing! Maybe just little packets of butter or jelly or honey to go!

The people-watching is great, though--a mix of professors, tattooed kids, families, and students. I am a little creeped out by the guy that stands in the hallway next to the service bar, though--he might be the owner/manager?

Overall, my favorite coffee shop in town, just could stand to make a few changes.

Recommends

lalala33

Joined 4 years ago

the best coffee.....friendly/efficient service....great for people watching. I stop at Cup a Joe every morning on the way to work.....even when I'm running late.....because I know that I will be in and out of there in less than 5 minutes and back on my way....with a delicious caffeinated beverage that my morning wouldn't be the same without. The staff is friendly. The prices are the lowest around. The coffee is the absolute best ANYWHERE!

Doesn't Recommend

petergrandstaff

Joined 6 years ago

Not so hot, just smokey. A nice place to sit and smoke cigarettes, just don't get your hopes up about the coffee or the service. If you're looking for great espresso or drip coffee, just go down the block to Global Village. I should point out that this Cup A Joe is not connected with the shops of the same name in Orange county... those guys roast their own too, but it's some of the best coffee around.

Doesn't Recommend

melodienelson

Joined 7 years ago

Only good for the people-watching. As the local hipster havens go, this place could do better. The espresso is poor (Cup A Joe roasts its own beans-- too bad), and sadly it is even worse than Starbucks espresso. The atmosphere is shady, the uncomfortable seating in disrepair, and there is a permanent smell of stale cigarettes in the air. The worst thing about Cup A Joe, though, is by far the staff. They are perpetually dour, rude to customers, and seem to put only the minimum amount of effort into making their beverages.

It DOES get points for a unique, alternative crowd, and is great for people-watching. For everything else, stay away!

Recommends

oneofthefew

Joined 7 years ago

Good coffee ... but could do well without the attitude.. Its a wannabe hippie hangount !! The coffee is good but the service is not up to the mark. I prefer the global village coffee house near NCSU any day, though they aren't open long enough. I have been to Cupajoe's many times ... the last few times the attitude seems to have gotten worse and the coffee was served cold. The crowd is very "unique" and you may want to consider taking your kids there. In all ... good coffee ... but not the best service or atmosphere.